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Hundreds of games on the Play Store reportedly keep track of your TV watching habits
June 20, 2025
Always-listening devices likeGoogle Homeand Amazon’sEchodevices already have at least a small creep factor, but always-listening mobile games? That’s a different level of creepy that, according toThe New York Times, applies to over 250 mobile titles fromAndroid‘s Play Store and some games from Apple’s App Store.
Games likePool 3D,Beer Pong: Trickshot,Real Bowling Strike 10 Pin, andHoney Quest, along with hundreds more, use software from Alphonso, a startup that specializes in “TV retargeting.” When you’re watching TV, you likely use your smartphone or tablet during commercial breaks. Alphonso’s software collects data on what you’re watching and delivers targeted ads to your mobile device based on that data.
Talking toThe New York Times, Alphonso CEO Ashish Chordia said the company’s software was able to get data from those who didn’t turn off their phones while watching TV:
Chordia also said that Alphonso has a deal with Shazam, whichApplerecently purchased. According to the deal, Alphonso picks up snippets of audio data and provides them to Shazam, which puts the data through its content-recognition technology to identify users. Once that’s done, Shazam sells the resulting data back to Alphonso.
Scoping out Alphonso’s website, it can use targeted advertising to “reach audiences of TV shows that [brands] are not currently buying.” For example, Ford could target viewers ofMonday Night Footballin order to buy ad time from ESPN and send ads to phones and tablets because it knows you’re watching the game.
As for the apps, they used the microphones in smartphones and tablets to pay attention for “audio signals,” which let the software know when someone is watching a particular TV show, movie, or ad. Even creepier, this happens whether games are in the foreground or background and whether games need or don’t need microphones to work.
According to Chordia, Alphonso’s software is explained in app descriptions and privacy policies, with the company unable to get access to your device’s microphones and locations unless you agree:
However, Consumers Union director of consumer privacy and technology policy Justin Brookman said Alphonso’s business practices are not clear and, instead, are misleading:
Alphonso is playing a dangerous game. Vizio was ordered to pay $2.2 million to settle charges that the company was collecting and selling viewing data from millions of its TVs without owners knowing about it. The Federal Trade Commission also warned app developers who used software for their apps to listen to audio signals when users watched TV.
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